According to NBC, former Vice President Mike Pence made a subtle defense of former President Donald Trump in an interview on Tuesday, just hours after a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Speaking at a gala for the Center for Christian Virtue in Cincinnati, Pence made it clear that in his 4½ years serving alongside the former President, he had never heard or witnessed any behavior of that nature.
Pence’s decision to avoid criticizing Trump is noteworthy, particularly at a time when he is considering whether to challenge his former boss for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. However, he sidestepped the question of whether the jury’s verdict affects his view of Trump’s fitness for the presidency, leaving it up to the American people to decide.
While Pence did not directly comment on Trump’s candidacy, he did predict that voters would not be swayed by the recent news and would instead be focused on the issues affecting their daily lives. He expressed disappointment that the media was focusing on his former running mate’s personal life rather than the issues that matter to Americans.
“I would tell you, in my 4½ years serving alongside the president, I never heard or witnessed behavior of that nature.”
Trump remains the front-runner for the Republican nomination, with a significant lead over other potential candidates in national polling. Pence has yet to announce whether he will enter the race, but he said that he will make his decision in the coming weeks. Until then, Pence’s loyalty to Trump remains evident, despite the controversy surrounding the former President.
